Computer peripherals or input devices, such as a mouse, keypad, or keyboard, transfer data to a central processing unit (CPU) of a computer over short runs of electrical or conductive cabling measuring only a few meters in length. There are certain circumstances in which computer peripherals need to be located at more than a few meters from the CPU. Conventional solutions to extend the distances between the CPU and peripherals typically utilize longer lengths of conductive cabling or use wireless connectivity, such as a Personal Area Network (PAN), to extend the distances between the CPU and the peripherals.
For example, various keyboard/video/mouse (KVM) extender systems enable peripherals to be located up to a couple hundred meters from the CPU. However, increasing the distance between the CPU and peripherals beyond a couple hundred meters is not possible with conventional KVM systems due to data transmission limitations and signaling speed. Additionally, conventional KVM extender systems are susceptible to being tapped or spliced between the CPU and the attached peripherals without the knowledge of the primary user or the system.
Peripherals configured to utilize Bluetooth® technology in accordance with the IEEE 802.11 specification are also able to be located at distances greater than a few meters from the CPU, but the distance is only extendable up to about 100 meters. Additionally, Bluetooth® technology, like KVM and other conventional extender systems, is susceptible to being tapped or other unknown security breaches.
Thus, an improved system and method for transferring data from one or more computer peripherals to one or more remotely located computers, is needed.